The present invention is directed toward a buffing pad assembly and more particularly, toward a two-sided pad which may be quickly released from a buffing motor, reversed, and reattached to the motor.
Buffing pads for use in high speed polishing of automobiles and the like may be one-sided or two-sided. A one-sided buffing pad is typically circular and is attached to a rigid circular backing plate which is attached by a central hub to the shaft of a rotary power buffer. The pad may be permanently attached to the backing plate or releasably attached thereto in order to allow for replacement without disposing of the backing plate. A two-sided pad includes a buffing pad attached to each face of a rigid backing plate. The plate includes a hub for releasably attaching the pad to the drive shaft or spindle of a high speed buffing motor. The pad may be attached to the motor from either side of the pad, thereby allowing the pad to be reversed after one side has been used.
A two-sided pad is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,607,412 to Ashworth. This patent discloses a reversible buffing pad where either side of the pad may be used. The hub may be screwed onto the drive shaft of a buffing motor from either side of the hub. The problem with this type of releasable attachment, however, is that it becomes time-consuming to stop the motor, unscrew the pad, reverse the pad, and then screw the pad back onto the drive shaft.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,461,750 to Kaiser discloses a two-sided rotary buffing pad. That is, a pad is attached to opposite faces of a rigid backing plate. Either side of the pad may be used. A hub is attached to the plate where the hub has a threaded bore by which it is demountably and reversibly attached to the threaded end of the shaft of a power buffer. Again, the problem with this type of releasable attachment is that it becomes time-consuming to stop the motor, unscrew the pad, reverse the pad, and then screw the pad back onto the drive shaft.
A need exists for a reversible buffing pad which is quickly and easily released from the spindle of a buffing motor, reversed, and then reattached to the spindle.
The present invention is designed to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art discussed above. It is an object of the present invention to provide a quick release for a two-sided buffing pad.
In accordance with the illustrative embodiments demonstrating features and advantages of the present invention, there is provided a two-sided buffing pad assembly having a right pad, a left pad, a disk securing the two pads together, and means for releasably attaching the buffing pad to the spindle of a buffing motor. Each pad has a central aperture. The disk has a connector located in the center thereof. The connector has an opening therethrough. The right and left pads are secured to first and second faces, respectively, of the disk so that the apertures and opening are aligned when the buffing pad is assembled. The elongated member has a body, a head, and an indented area separating the head and the body. The head fits through either of the apertures and through the opening of the connector. The elongated member also has an open end which may be secured to the spindle of a buffing motor. Contained within the indented area is an O-ring which releasably secures the elongated member within the opening yet allows for the pad to be easily snapped off of the elongated member so that either side of the buffing pad may be used.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof taken in conjunction with the drawings.